It looks like we may finally have an answer to the debate surrounding who was actually responsible for directing 1982’s Poltergeist, with Wish Upon helmer John R. Leonetti – who served as an assistant camera operator on the film – revealing to Shockwaves that Steven Spielberg directed the movie, rather than the credited Tobe Hooper.
“It was a very intense, very fun, very technical movie to work on,” said Leonetti. “There’s a lot going on. And candidly… Steven Spielberg directed that movie. There’s no question. However, Tobe Hooper – I adore. I love that man so much. But, had I known you were going to ask me that question, I would’ve brought this one picture I have, which is the whole movie in one shot! It’s the scene where the tree comes in to grab the boy, and we have two cameras set up. In the foreground on an apple box is (an excited) Tobe, standing right behind him is Spielberg pointing. Next to him was my brother on camera and me.”
Here’s the image in question…
“It was both fun and intense [on set],” he continues. “Spielberg, after work was the nicest guy on the planet. We’d even go to his house in Beverly Hills and watch dailies. On the set, he was very intense. Hooper was so nice and just happy to be there. He creatively had input. Steven developed the movie, and it was his to direct, except there was anticipation of a director’s strike, so he was ‘the producer’ but really he directed it in case there was going to be a strike and Tobe was cool with that. It wasn’t anything against Tobe. Every once in a while, he would actually leave the set and let Tobe do a few things just because. But really, Steven directed it.”
So, it looks like the mystery has finally been laid to rest…
Originally published July 16, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
